Epicus Doomicus Metallicus

I found my way into doom via Sabbath's doomier tracks like Into the Void and Black Sabbath, Witchfinder General's Death Penalty and later Saint Vitus and Cathedral. I remember well that Candlemass were very much derided by the music press originally (as were Venom) which just goes to show how much the music writers know! Epicus is still my favourite Candlemass release, but recently I have been playing the self-titled 2005 album a lot as it really does kick all kinds of ass. I notice very few Academicians have rated it, so I strongly suggest checking it out if you haven't already. If you're not hooked after opener Black Dwarf then I guess we can never be friends and I wish you well for the future!

"Epicus Doomicus Metallicus" was actually my introduction to doom metal back in the late 1980's. I couldn't get into it initially (which was likely because due to the vocal style & my obsessive taste for extreme metal) however it majorly grew on me over time & I ended up really digging it. I think it was a genuine landmark for the genre because it nailed that doom metal atmosphere better than anyone had done previously. Come to think of it, I'm wearing my old "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus" t-shirt right now actually. Their sophomore album "Nightfall" is my favourite Candlemass record these days but it's not that far in front of this one.

Likewise Daniel, initially I enjoyed the music but struggled with the vocal style, in the same way I did with Cirith Ungol. Also Epicus came out at a time when I was probably most heavily into thrash and the slow and gloomy stuff was on the back  burner for me. Ultimately however, true class will always prevail, hence Candlemass being rightly revered as one of, if not the, prime movers in the development of doom metal (which wasn't even a thing back then).

As far as the Epic Doom Metal tag goes, I liken it's relationship to Traditional Doom Metal similar to Power Metal's relationship to Traditional Heavy Metal. Maybe a better genre tag would be Power Doom?

Here’s another band that might have a link between the trad styles of heavy metal and doom, Grand Magus! They’re 21st Century classic heavy metal with epic Viking lyrical themes you might find in power metal, and they frequently have slower doom, especially in their first couple albums.

GM were definitely doom metal on their first couple of releases, but moved away from doom to a trad metal sound certainly by the time of 2008's Iron Will album.